Bruxelles Brasserie in Norwalk, Connecticut: Meet the Chef
BY TRIPVEEL EDITORIAL STAFF | February 2020
Tripveel sat down with Chef Partner Roland Olah of Bruxelles Brasserie in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Executive Chef Roland Olah of Bruxelles Brasserie in Norwalk, Connecticut
Where did you grow up and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy?
I grew up in Budapest, Hungary. I went to culinary school. In the first 10 years of my career I changed restaurants frequently to experience various styles of cuisine and levels of service from fast casual to fine dining to build my skills, knowledge and decide what styles of food I enjoyed cooking the most. My eyes were opened early in my career when I went to work in a successful seafood restaurant called ‘Ocean’ and here I was mentored by a Belgian Chef, Wim Cornette, who had an amazing talent with seafood and how to compliment that with other foods, and showed me how important it was to both smell and taste foods when developing menus. I learnt so much from him and that to be a good Chef I needed to motivate myself and teach myself to be better and better. This is why, when I got my green card I had to work for ‘Daniel Boulud’ in whatever position I could get. This gave me the chance to learn and see many things and how a high volume Michelin star restaurant operates. All these experiences showed me that my style of cooking is all about the oven, the pan and classic cooking, and how you put everything in the pan and you have to feel it – it’s all about simple ingredients prepared well.
Bruxelles Brasserie in Norwalk, Connecticut
Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself.
I love hockey. I played when I was growing up and travelled around Europe with my team. This gave me a strong grounding to understand the importance of being in a team and the importance of my part in the team. We score big together or lose big together, it only works if we are ‘all together in the team’. I also love fishing – the quiet, the peace, tranquility and beauty of watching the colors of the sun rise calms me.
Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already.
It is not one dish, when I make food it has to be about the feeling when I make it. It is important for me that guests know they can trust me with any food I prepare for them as everything is made from the heart using all I have learned over the past 30 years and the talent my Mum passed to me.
Bruxelles Brasserie in Norwalk, Connecticut
What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without?
Hungarian paprika, Lemon Juice and Salt.
We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?
For me the plate is the frame for the food you put onto it. It is really important to have good china that your food can look amazing on. Balance of food on the plate to the size of the plate is important. I like white plates that have differing shapes and sizes.
Bruxelles Brasserie in Norwalk, Connecticut
Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?
Honeynut Squash served warm, with cranberry dressing, arugula, mini mozzarella, and pomegranate seeds. Honeynut squash is a smaller version of butternut squash that is only available a couple of months of the year. I believe in simplicity when cooking, simplequality ingredients that are prepared well. I love texture and for example presenting the same vegetable 3 different ways on a plate.
Bruxelles Brasserie in Norwalk, Connecticut
